Hot-water heating system



Aug. 26, 1930. J. 5. ERICKSON 1,773,976

HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed Marc 17. 1927 f; ML

Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE JACOB S. ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FERGUSON AND LANG-E FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS HOT-WATER HEATING SYSTEM Application filed March 17, 1927. Serial No. 175,966.

My invention relates to hot water heating systems of the type in which the hot water for domestic use has a constant flow from the heater through the pipes in a building and is returned by said pipes to the heater. It is one of the objects of my invention to provlde an improved form and arrangement of parts in a system of this type whereby the hot Water coming from the heater may be automatically tempered so as to prevent the passage of exceedingly hot water through the pipes, the

arrangement preferably being such that the maximum temperature permitted may be regulated by an adjustment of the parts. By the provision of such means, I am enabled to protect the Fuller balls and other destructible parts of the system from the effects of over-heating, and tokeep the temperature of the water as delivered at the faucets within the desired limits for safe and convenient use without danger of scalding the hands of the user.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide means for admitting cold water into 2 the stream of hot water coming from the heater for reducing the temperature of the stream. It is another object of my inven tion to provide thermostatic means for regulating the admission of cold water into the stream of hot water, such thermostatic means being controlled by the temperature of the mixture.

It is another object of my invention to improve systems of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have vaccomplished my several objects are illustrated in the drawing and are hereinafter specifically described. That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.

In thedrawing,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred form of my improved system, a portion of the front wall being broken away at one point to show the heater unit within the furnace.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view showing the construction of a part of the controlling 50 means by which the admission of cold water to the stream of hot water is regulated; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view showing the construction of another part of such controlling means.

Referring to the several figures of the 5K drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, 10 indicates a furnace or boiler of a type used for heating by means of hot water or steam, such furnace being-provided with a plurality of heater devices 11 extending into the hot water chamber of the furnace. The heater devices 11 are preferably of the general type illustrated in my United States Patent N 0. 1,513,449 of October 28, 1924, six of such heater devices being employed in the construction illustrated. In the construction illustrated, three of the heater devices 11 are connected with a header 12 at one end of the boiler, and the other three heater devices with a header 13. The headers 12 and 13 are connected together by means of a line of piping 14 at the front end of the boiler, and such line of piping is connected with a cold Water pipe 15 by which cold water under pressure is delivered to the heater devices 11. Valves 16 are provided for controlling the admis-' sion of Water to the several heating devices 11. The hot Water from the devices 11 is carried by a plurality pf pipes 17 to a header s0 18 to which is connected the hot water pipe 19 which carries the water through the building to the various faucets from which the hot water supply may be drawn for domestic uses. A return pipe 20 carries the hot water back to the furnace or boiler for circulation again through the heating devices 11 and the circuit comprising the hot water pipe 19. In the drawing the system of piping including the outlets for the hot water is indi- 9O cated conventionally only by a pipe 21.

Check valves 22 are provided in the cold Water pipe 15 and the return pipe 20 for preventing movement of water through such pipes away from the boiler.

With the system arranged as shown, the water which is heated at the boiler 10 rises through the pipe 19 and returns through the pipe 20, the circulation of the water being e ected automatically by reason of the differ- 100 ence in the specific gravity of the hot water as compared with that of the cold. When water is taken from the line of piping at any point throughout the building, cold water is admitted through the pipe 15 to take its place, such cold water being admitted to the stream of hot water at the portion of the circuit in which the hot water is returning to the boiler, in the construction shown the point of admission of the cold water being closely adjacent to the boiler.

In the construction shown, a thermometer 23 of any suitable type is employed for indieating the temperature of the water in the water pipe 19. A pressure relief valve 24 of any suitable type is employed in communication with the pipe 14. A blow-out cock 25 is also provided at the lowermost portion of the pipe 14. A pipe 26 including a gate valve 27 or any suitable type is provided connecting the cold water pipe 15 directly with the hot water pipe 19. This pipe 26 is provided primarily for the delivery of cold water through the portion of the system at the boiler for flushing out the system by the use of the blow-out cock 25. A gate valve 28 is provided in the pipe 15 at a point between-the boiler 10 and the pipe 26.

Inasmuch as the parts so far described form in and of themselves no part of my present invention, it is believed that it will be unnecessary to describe the parts or their operation further.

For tempering the hot water as it comes from the boiler by the admission of cold water to the pipe 19 from the pipe 15, I have provided a pipe 29, shown, in the construction illustrated, a short distance above the pipe 26. This pipe 29 is provided with a check valve 30 therein for preventing passage of the watertherethrough toward the right in said Figure 1, permitting only passage of cold water from the pipe 15 to the pipe 19. A gate valve 31' is also provided in said pipe 29 for shuttingofl the stream of water therethrough when desired. The pipe 29 is connected with the pipe 19 by the use of a valve 32 which is best shown in Fig. 3: As shown in said Fig. 3, the valve 32 is in the form of a easing into which the pipe 29 and two sec tions of the pipe 19 are tapped. As is shown in said Fig. 3., the interior of the valve is divided into two chambers, an upper chamber 33 connecting directly with the cold water pipe 29 and a lower chamber 34 communicatmg directly with the hot water pipes 19, such chambers being separated from each other by a web 35 which is provided with a port 36 therethrough adapted to be closed by a valve head- 37. The head 37 is mounted upon a stem 38 whichis slidable through a plate 39 removably held in position by a separately 1 formed housing 40 secured by means of screw threads to the main casingof the valve. The stem 38 bears at its upper end against the lower end of an expansible diaphragm device 41 which in turn is adjustably mounted in position by means of a sleeve 42 secured by screw threads in the upper end of the housing 40. The upper end of the expansible diaphragm device 41 is in communication with a flexible tube 43 which in turn is connected with a tubular member 44 closed at its upper end, the tubular member 44 being mounted in a section of the hot water pipe 19 above the valve 32. In the construction shown, the tubular member 44 is mounted in position in the pipe section 19 by means of a fitting 45 of any suitable type, by which two sections of the pipe 19 are connected together and the tubular member 44 is held in position. The expansible diaphragm device 41, the tube 43 and the tubular member 44 are in the construction shown filled with mercury whereby the mercury is subjected to the heat of the water in the pipe 19 about the tubular member 44. The arrangement is such that when the heat of the water about the tubular member 44 is below the desired maximum the valve 37 is held in operative-closing position with respect to the port 36. When, however, the heat of the water increases beyond such predetermined desired maximum, the mercury expands, serving to force the lower end of the expansible diaphragm device 41 downwardly, and serving thus to move the valve head 37 away from its seat with respect to the port 36. valve 37 the hot water in the pipe section 19 below the casing 32 is permitted to pass upwardly through the port 36 while a like amount of cold water from the pipe 29 is-permitted to pass downwardly into the stream of hot water flowing through the pipe 19. The temperature of the hot water in the pipe 19 is thus controlled, and is kept from rising beyond the predetermined desired degree.

By an adjustment of the diaphragm device 41 upwardly or downwardly with respect to the housing 40, the action of the thermostat as above described can be regulated for controlling the degree of the heat at which the valve 37 will be moved downwardly. A spring 46 is provided within the chamber 33 adapted to hold the stem 37 yielding in'its raised position for contact with the lower end of the expansible dia phragm device 41.

I have found in practice that by the .use

of my lmproved system the heating of the water flowing upwardly through the pipe 19 is controlled to very good advantage, both during the time when large quantities of hot water are being used from the pipe 21 and also during the time when very little or no hot .water is being drawn out of the system. By reason of admitting cold water to the system at a point above the boiler and between the boiler and the faucets instead of admitting such cold water at a. point adjacent to the Upon this movement of \the boiler at the return side of'the system, the heat of the water is cont1 olled to much better advantage and a much evener supply of hot water is furnished. While I prefer to employ substantially the form of device as illustrated, it will be understood that my invention is not to be limited thereto except so far ascertain of the claims are specifically so limited, since it is evident that changes mlght well be made in the form of the s stem without departing from the spirit 0 my invention.

I claim,-

1. A hot water heating system, comprising in combination a water heater, a'circuit of pipes leading from the heater and returning thereto for. the circulation of a stream of hot water, means for admitting cold water under pressure to the stream of hot water at the portion of the circuit in which the hot water is returning to said heater when hot 'water is drawn from said circuit, and other said'heater in the portion of the conduit in which the hot water is flowing away from the heater, and other means adapted at all times independently of the temperature of the water to admit cold water to said conduit at the portion of the circuit in which the water is flowing to the heater.

JACOB S. ERICKSON.

means actingautomatically to admit cold is returning to said heater when hot water is drawn from said circuit, and other means controlled by the heat of-the water in said stream for admitting cold water to the stream at the portion of the circuit in which the hot water is flowing away from said heater.

3. A water mixer, comprising in combination a casing, a web dividin said casing into two chambers, hot water and from one of said chambers, a cold water pipe leading into the other chamber, a valve closing a port through said web, a housing opening into the cold water chamber of said casing an expansible diaphragm device in said housing and adjustable therein toward and from said valve adapted upon its expansion by operative contact withthe valve to open the valve, and thermostatic means controlled by the temperature of the water in one of said hot water pipes for efiecting the expansion of said diaphragm device and serving at a tem rature controlled by theadjustment of the 'aphragm device in the housing to effect the opening of the valve.

4. A water heating system, comprising in combination a heater, a conduit leadin from the heater and returnin thereto for t e circulation of a stream 05 hot water, thermostatically controlled means for admitting cold water to said conduit at a point adjacent to p1pes leading into i 

